The need for cargo hauling vehicles is present in many industries and activities. The most common type of cargo hauling apparatus is a trailer, which is so called because it trails behind a motorized vehicle. A trailer is often attached to the rear of a tractor or other vehicle to haul cargo for farming, landscaping, and other applications. The trailer usually includes a tongue extending from a front of a cargo carrying bed, the tongue typically being attached to a mounting plate at the rear of the tractor by a pin or other mechanism that allows the tongue of the trailer to pivot relative to the tractor, as is known to those skilled in the art. This pivoting of the trailer relative to the tractor is necessary to allow the trailer to follow the tractor as it turns.
A significant disadvantage to such trailer systems is the difficulty in maneuvering the trailer into a desired location. This is particularly problematic in situations where the trailer dumps rearward to deposit the cargo contained therein at a desired location. It is necessary, in those situations, to back the trailer to the desired point so that the cargo is dumped where needed. In some circumstances, it may be necessary to maneuver the trailer between several closely spaced objects in order to dump the cargo at a desired location. Not only is maneuvering of the trailer difficult when moving in reverse, but it is also difficult for the driver of the tractor to monitor the position of the trailer while moving in reverse.
Thus, there is a need for an improved cargo hauling attachment that alleviates one or more of the disadvantages discussed above.